Category Archives: What’s New?

Shrubs and trees for Spring

We are excited about the selection of shrubs and trees we have coming this spring. Here is a partishrubs3.jpgal list of those plants for you to see. If there is plant that you would like to have but do not see it here, call Bob (740 310 2065) and he will do his best to get it for you.

You can be confident that the plants you purchase from us are hardy in our zone and have  not been  shipped from the south.  Most of our plant material is grown here in Ohio or in Pennsylvania,  and is used to our unpredictable weather.

To view a list of the trees and shrubs we have coming, click here.  We are still expanding the list, so check back later.

Tour Ferda’s Garden Center Online

Ferda’s Garden Center is for sale. (In the meantime, we’ll be hFothergilla-at-CENTS-2013ere to serve you in the spring with the trees, shrubs, flowers and veggies as you have come to expect.) Click here to take a virtual tour of the garden center.

Spring 2012 Production Has Begun!

Bob fired up the first of the greenhouses over the weekend, and we’re transplanting today. The pace is still slow, but it’ll pick up soon. Pretty soon we’ll have little growing plants coming out our ears! (Not literally, of course, but you get the idea…)

The seed racks are filled and waiting, and product has started to arrive. Hang on, the ride has begun!

Cute Statuary Has Begun to Arrive!

We got in a shipment of cute statuary today. We haven’t unpacked it yet, since it is so cold out in the greenhouses, but we’re so excited for you to see it all. It’ll all be on display when we reopen in March. Here is a piece, just couldn’t wait to start showing it to you!

New Hardiness Zone Map

The USDA has reevaluated the temperature patterns for the US and come up with a revised version of the Hardiness Zone Map. Check it out  here. It’s interesting that, where some of Ohio used to be zone 5A or 5B, it is almost entirely Zone 6A on the new map. What that indicates is that the low temperatures in the winter are about 5 degrees warmer than they used to be.

The web site allows you to look at your state in an enlarged version, and to plug in your zip code if you can’t figure out where on the map you really are. (Don’t feel bad, I’m geographically challenged, too.)

Hot Pepper “Fresno Chile”

Fresno Chile image courtesy of Ivy Garth Seeds

Do you like jalapenos? Then you’ll like Fresno Chiles, too. They are just about as hot (maybe a bit hotter) and have the thick waxy feel of a jalapeno. You could use them interchangeably in recipes. They are good fresh, added to salsas, roasted (and stuffed as an appetizer if you like that heat), or canned.

They begin green and ripen to red, at which point they are a little sweeter. The plants are vigorous and bear well.

New Tomato for 2012

We have some great new vegetable varieties in the pipeline for you this year. Let’s talk about a few, just to whet your appetite for spring.

I don’t know about you, but the reason I like to eat fruits and vegetables I’ve grown myself is that I know they are fresher and healthier than those I can buy in the grocery store that have been picked and shipped across country, or even across countries.

photo courtesy of Ivy Garth Seeds

With that in mind, we are growing a tomato variety this year called Caro Rich. The name derives from the fact that it is higher in beta-carotene (up to 10 times as much as in other tomatoes!) Beta-carotene is  an antioxidant  that gives orange and yellow fruits and vegetables their color and is converted by the body into a safe form of vitamin A. (This is believed to promote eye health and help with vision—there’s a reason your mother told you to eat your carrots.)

It is an 8-10 oz beefsteak-style tomato in a deep orange color. (That’s about the size of your average Better Boy– a nice size for a slice on a burger.) They are low acid and sweet. They are large plants, probably a better choice for in-ground growing, rather than in a pot. Oh, and did I mention, they’re more healthy?

December 12th is National Poinsettia Day

We’ll bet you didn’t even know there was a National Poinsettia Day, did you? Check it out here.

We received our first delivery of poinsettias for last weekend, and we have a nice assortment of sizes and colors to choose from.  I read an interesting statistic recently. Did you know that  most poinsettias are purchased by women to decorate their homes at Christmas rather than as gifts? Stop in this week and pick one out!

A Ferda’s Exclusive Greenery Basket

Stop in to see our greenery hanging moss baskets, our own design. They are lush and dripping with fresh greens, cones and a colorful bow. And you won’t find them anywhere else, until the imitators catch on, of course…

Harvest Festival 2011 Is Coming!

Activity is gearing up here at Ferda’s Garden Center for our annual Harvest Festival. We’re finalizing the list of outside vendors, planning advertising, cleaning and redecorating some areas. And of course, great new product is coming in.

Adorable pumpkin decorating kits have arrived, more flags will be here this week, and the new Yankee Candle scents are expected next week.

When is it? Glad you asked!

It will take place on Saturday, September 17th and Sunday, September 18th, 2011 during our regular hours. There will be free food both days, activities for kids and adults on Saturday, music by the wonderful Uncle Eddie and Robin Band on Sunday. Most of the outside vendors will be here both days, but some for only one, so call ahead if you are looking forward to seeing someone special so you don’t miss them!